US appoints Islamist lawyer to Gitmo detainee
Zayyat was accused of being part of militant group
Although he has been banned from entering the United States and accused of being part of a militant group, Egyptian lawyer Montasser al-Zayyat said he was recruited by the United States to defend a Saudi detainee held in Guantanamo Bay over charges of terrorism.
Veteran lawyer of Islamist groups, Zayyat, was set to fly to the United Arab Emirates where he would meet Pentagon officials to discuss his security if he were to accept to defend Saudi national Mustafa Hosawi.
Zayyat said he received a phone call from the Pentagon after Hosawi refused to be defended by a court appointed lawyer.
"At first I thought it was a joke then turns out he is a major at the Pentagon. He told me a Saudi detainee asked for me by name and that in the three court hearings he attended he refused the lawyer chosen for him and insisted on me," Zayyat said.
"They only gave me the defendant's name," Zayyat told Al Arabiya. "Then his sister called me from Jeddah to confirm her brother's request."
Zayyat said he agreed but told the Pentagon that he has been denied entry to the United States since 1993. The pentagon official said a security permit is necessary for him to enter the United States.
"I told him this is their responsibility and that for my part I agree. I also asked for personal guarantees for myself. I want to make sure the American authorities will not harass me."
Zayyat said he was unsure how he would be paid but said: "If they choose to pay, I'd be grateful. If I rescue a Guantanamo prisoner for free, I'm happy to do that as well."
At first I thought it was a joke then turns out he is a major at the Pentagon. He told me a Saudi detainee asked for me by name and that in the three court hearings he attended he refused the lawyer chosen for him and insisted on meMontasser Zayyat
Defending Islamist groups
Zayyat is a well-known lawyer for Islamist groups and was accused of belonging to the al-Jihad militant group in the beginning of the 1980s.
Zayyat is also the lawyer of Samy Shehab -- a suspect accused of planning terrorist attacks in Egypt and smuggling weapons into the Palestinian territories.
The Saudi national, Hosawi, was amongst the Sept. 11, 2001 suspects who allegedly claimed to be proud of what happened.
In one of the files prepared by the Guantanamo military committee, which tries suspects, the detainees were said to have described themselves as "terrorists to the bone."
"For us, this is not a crime; it's an honor," the file quoted them as saying. "We are proud of it and we thank God for choosing us to defend Islam and Muslims."
(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)
I told him this is their responsibility and that for my part I agree. I also asked for personal guarantees for myself. I want to make sure the American authorities will not harass meZayyat